Wow, New Year’s Eve… This year, while I had a blessed year, I had a tough year. I’m thankful that it’s over to be honest. Physically, emotionally and mentally this year was one of my toughest. With the loss of my sister, the car accident, the extensive shoulder surgery, the unbelievable number of house spent on remodeling this house I. AM. DONE! But I survived and it didn’t beat me. It tried with everything it had to break me but with the love and support from Mr. Fantabulous, family and friends I pushed through.

Onward and upward as they say. Let’s 2018 be full of love, happiness, adventure, good fortune, health and peace.

Easy, Healthy, Lo-Carb and Seriously Delicious are what these Cucumber Cups with Creamy Chicken Whip are all about! Cream cheese, chicken and spices whipped to a light mousse pipped into a cucumber cup. Um HELLO! YOU CAN EAT THE BOWL!

*WARNING – this post is deep and emotional* Wow, the end of January already. I’ll be glad when this month is over because this month has sucked for me royally. The only thing that has been keeping me going is all of the healthy and delicious foods I’ve been whipping up. With my sister’s recent passing I did something for the first time in my life – I went to food for comfort. Food for comfort, not comfort food. Big difference. To me comfort foods make you feel all snuggly and hugged from the inside. They remind you of a memory, something that made you feel safe, loved, secure.

Yeah, no, food was nothing like that. I was (am still) so devastated that I literally was empty; numb. It’s like you are so sad that you can’t even cry if that makes sense. Mr. Fantabulous did everything perfect (and still does) to help me through the initial days after she passed to even now however I still felt … empty. I would just wander around the house, tissues in hand not really looking or focusing on one thing. Even though not once did he ask for anything I would go out to the kitchen, cook/bake but it was like *I* was just going through the motions. I had no appetite yet somehow all I did was eat.. non-stop. So desperate to “feel” something other than sadness and pain.

…and that’s where food came into play. Food tastes good. It provides a type of satisfaction that is almost euphoric at times; it made me feel something other than pain. If it wasn’t nailed down or frozen solid I ate it. I did this for honestly about a day and that night I was sick as a dog. My body isn’t used to that. That night I didn’t sleep much (from being so sad and from being so sick – god my poor stomach) and started to think about what I had done.

So the next morning as I was making him his breakfast I started to reach for the jar of peanut butter and wheat bread (even though I literally ate a yogurt and protein shake like 10 minutes prior). I wasn’t hungry but it was like something my head triggered a “food = no more sadness” thought however this time I caught myself. So I figured if I was going to eat (because honestly I cared but not really) I’d at least make healthy stuff that wouldn’t make me gain 50 pounds overnight or make me sick as a dog. Plus you know me, I firmly believe that eating healthy does not mean you have to sacrifice flavor.Eating healthy doesn’t mean you sacrifice flavor

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BeyondTheSandwich #CollectiveBias

So when you think of deli meats and cheeses I’m betting 99% of you are thinking about a sandwich, right? If you’re like me you grew up on taking a bagged lunch or lunch box to school with some piece of fruit, either a bag of chips or a cookie and a sandwich. If mine wasn’t pb&j it was bologna or ham and cheese. However times are changing. We’re more cognizant of the foods we eat, what it’s made with and honestly if it’s on the healthier side. Kids lunches are getting more diverse and we are getting more adventurous in the kitchen. I, for one, am loving this.

When it comes to deli meats and cheeses I am a HUGE snob. I’m sorry but I want QUALITY, incredible flavor and frankly, no additive crap in it. I’ve been buying Castle Wood Reserve® deli meats and cheese for quite some time now. Mr. Fantabulous and I both love them as they taste incredible and I never have to worry about ‘stuff’ in them. So when these great folks reached out to me asking me to take their deli products beyond the sandwich I went with something, honestly, I’ve been making for quite sometime now.

You see I love bread, carbs, dough… all that deliciousness is incredible BUT it’s the bane of my existence when it comes to losing weight. I swear I see a loaf of bread and without even taking one bite my thighs jiggle just a tad more. Or if I see a roll, it’s like “HELLO let’s add some flabby here”. So I had to find alternatives and reduce my bread intake. That’s when I turned to veggies. I use veggies not only for pasta and pizza (yes try my spaghetti squash pizza crust!) but also for ‘sandwiches’ or in this case, rolls and wraps.Totally delicious, totally easy and way healthier than other rolls!

It’s funny as this recipe if you will though I don’t really consider it a ‘true’ recipe as you’re just putting stuff in a bowl and eating it. There’s no cooking involved and let’s be honest, you really don’t have to be exact with your measurements but hey, it’s all good. I mean this is pretty awesome and a “recipe’ ANYONE can follow. It’s just yogurt, protein powder, fresh fruits, granola and flaxseed – not to hard but OMG it’s so delicious!

Sorry, I butterflied on you – I never did finish my first thought. LOL So as I was saying, it’s funny how this recipe and other ‘bowls’ like this have become the latest ‘thing’ on Pinterest and 99% of the other blogs out there. Sorry but fruit, yogurt and granola in a bowl isn’t a new thing. I’ve been eating this ever since I was little and I’m old… LIKE REAL OLD. LOL Okay fine the new thing – flaxseed. Adding flaxseed all of a sudden took a 1970 dish and made it relevant and ‘new and improved’ (as she says in her best infomercial voice). LOL

Flaxseed – what it anyway? To me it’s tasteless, looks pretty much like sesame seeds and if you spill it, it’s a PITA to clean up (trust me, I know!) But this itsy bitsy little thing packs some pretty awesome health benefits! So when I decided to make this Healthy Power Yogurt Bowls with Fruit, Crunchy Granola I had to add flaxseed to the mix. Not only is it visually awesome in the pic but it’s great health benefits to the dish!Take your boring cup of yogurt and make it beautiful & delicious!

How many of you have tried powdered peanut butter? Now let me go on the record for stating this – I am a Jif peanut butter girl plain and simple. I prefer the creamy however I can get down with the crunchy in a big way. Mr. Fantabulous oh he’s a crunchy man all the way. The one thing he doesn’t do that I do is eat it off the spoon. That, yeah, that’s my downfall when it comes to peanut butter. And I know, some nut butters are healthier than others but it’s still a ton of calories and fat. And God knows that’s something my thighs don’t need. Well a while back I bought that powdered peanut butter just to see what it’s like, if it tastes like the real stuff but more importantly, how does it handle up to baked goods.

I’ve tried a few brands and I really like the one I listed above. It, when mixed with water, turns out just like “real” peanut butter. It’s creamy and tastes most like the real stuff. So what is powdered peanut butter anyway? It’s essentially just powdered peanuts that have been pressed to remove much of the oil and fats. In the industry they are known as “defatted” peanuts. Hmmm.. can I get defatted??? If only, huh? Anyway you just need a little water to reconstitute it. The amount of water you add will lead you to a super thick spread to a very thin spread. Use your judgement on this.Are you a creamy or crunchy peanut butter fan?